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PORT ANTONIO — Scores of residents of Jeffery Town and surrounding communities in St. Mary benefitted from free health checks at a health fair held last Tuesday April 19 on the grounds of the Jeffery Town Health Centre. The event, which was organised by the St. Mary Health Department to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the health...

KINGSTON — The Ministry of Health's project to reduce HIV prevalence among persons deemed most at risk has been boosted this fiscal year by a $233.9 million budgetary allocation. This has been outlined in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure, currently being reviewed by the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives. The project, which commenced in October 2009, aims...

KINGSTON — The Public Sector Transformation Unit (PSTU) is set to receive a cash injection of $74.6 million to carry out its work this fiscal year. This is set out in the 2011/2012 Estimates and Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. With funding support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the United...

KINGSTON — The Government will continue to collaborate with the United Nation’s International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF) to increase youth access to quality information, skills and services to reduce the risk of HIV infection in 2011/12. The effort will be financed through an allocation of $16.7 million to the Youth Empowerment and Participation Programme in the 2011/12 Estimates of Expenditure,...

KINGSTON — Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer, has re-affirmed the Government’s commitment to a healthy and stable Jamaican population, through the repositioning of primary health care. He said this is evident in the execution of the National Health Fund (NHF)-financed $300 million Health Centre Renewal Programme, over the past two years, which has targetted some 60 primary healthcare facilities...

KINGSTON — Minister of Education, Hon Andrew Holness, has welcomed Friday's April 15 re-opening of the refurbished Olympic Gardens Health Centre, in West Central St. Andrew. Noting that the clinic had fallen into disrepair “for many years”, Mr. Holness, Member of Parliament for the area, expressed satisfaction that it will now be able to deliver quality service to the over...

MIAMI — International reggae artist, Orville "Shaggy" Burrell is the 2011 recipient of International Humanitarian Award presented by the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ). He was recognised for his contribution to the health of children in Jamaica through his Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation. Making the presentation at the annual Peacock Soiree, held last Saturday April 9 at Jungle Island...

MONTEGO BAY — Custos of Trelawny, Hon. Paul Muschett, says he will be submitting a petition to the Government for the Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny to be re-named the Victor Magnus Memorial Hospital. The move, he said, is in honour of the late senior medical officer for Trelawny, who gave outstanding contribution to health care delivery in the parish. Addressing...

KINGSTON — Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Arthur Williams, has urged the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) to be reasonable in how it handles the current dispute with Government over wage and fringe benefits issues. The Minister was responding to a five-day ultimatum issued by the NAJ, effective Monday, seeking settlement of...

PORT ANTONIO — The Ministry of Health has approved funds for the rehabilitation of the operating theatre at the Port Maria Hospital in St. Mary, and the construction of a health clinic in the Brainerd/Sue River area of the parish. Mayor of Port Maria, Councillor Richard Creary, made the announcement while addressing the launch of Health Month activities for St....

KINGSTON — As the National Health Fund (NHF) officially takes over operations of the Health Corporation Limited (HCL) on April 1, the Fund's Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Lawson, is assuring suppliers of pharmaceutical goods and medical sundries that existing contracts will be honoured.  He was speaking at a meeting convened by the Ministry of Health at the Altamont Court Hotel,...

Minister of Health, Hon. Rudyard Spencer says after three years of the abolition of user fees policy, significant reductions have been seen in the percentage of Jamaicans who are now citing cost as a reason for not seeking health care. “One cannot view the benefit of the policy purely through the lens of the health sector. Despite the fact that...